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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29635743">crystalline</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kozumess/pseuds/kozumess'>kozumess</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Boys In Love, Fluff, Gratuitous use of metaphors, Ice Skating, M/M, No Beta We Die™, i used the seasons as a plot device</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:40:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,447</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29635743</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kozumess/pseuds/kozumess</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The cold, trying to find its way into open flaps of clothing to make a home in the space between skin and bones, finds no give in the warmth surrounding the two bodies pressed together in a loving embrace, Atsumu molding their lips together <i>because</i> they belonged.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Sakuatsu Fluff Week 2021 <3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>crystalline</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i listened to <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/3sIbXHStayfEMhIrLgsJs2?si=0ETnXoqmTGmw_rcNKOGSfQ&amp;utm_source=copy-link">this song</a> while editing this, and the vibe fits, so give it a listen while you read if you want ♡</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's cold, frigid air finding its way into open flaps of clothing and making a home in the space between skin and bones, but it doesn't deter the pace Kiyoomi sets as he trudges through the sludge of white that lines the ground.</p><p>While every other surface in view is snow capped, the tips of his ears are tinged pink; partly because of the cold, mostly because the bridge he's currently crossing is also the very bridge where he first kissed Atsumu.</p><p>The memory creeps its way up his mind, a time back when the surrounding trees weren't bare and full of life instead, the bushes around them blooming flowers, and the errant butterflies fluttered past their ears.</p><p>Atsumu had taken him here in spring.</p><p>An admission falling off his lips, tainted with the honeysuckle sweet smell of the blooms at the foot of the bridge, water running graceful against moss lined rocks below, "I love you, Kiyoomi."</p><p>And what else could he do, except kiss him stupid?</p><p><em> I love you too </em> is the way their lips molded together like they belonged.</p><p>Now, the chill bites his nose and nips at his cheeks, and, cursing Atsumu with his fists closed over a hot pack for asking him to come out in this weather, he walks just a bit faster.</p><p>He almost slips, once or twice, after stepping on solid wet patches he wrongfully decided were safe; luckily though, he doesn't fall, balance unparalleled for playing in a sport that required it of him more times than necessary.</p><p>The pine trees finally fall away in front of him, and he breaks through them to see a figure —turned away from him but familiar all the same— in front of a lake that's been frozen over and now glistens, impossibly solid.</p><p>Beside him, he sees two pairs of skates. Kiyoomi's brow furrows.</p><p>The next steps he take causes snow to crunch beneath his boots, alerting the boy, making him turn around in all his golden glory— and suddenly the snow under his feet isn't the only thing melting to a puddle.</p><p>"Hey, love." Atsumu reaches out a hand, and when Kiyoomi takes it with a pout, Atsumu is warm, he's always warm —a hearth thawing at Kiyoomi's inhibitions.</p><p>That doesn't mean he'd entertain the idea of skating over a frozen death trap for him, though.</p><p>Atsumu giggles, bringing a hand to his cheek "Why the long face?"</p><p>Kiyoomi motions toward the skates, making Atsumu look back before he asks, "What are those?"</p><p>Atsumu grins when he turns back, and God, Kiyoomi loves him, but he's seen that expression on him before and it has never meant safe nor reasonable.</p><p>"Let's go skatin'!"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Omiiii," Atsumu whines, pulling himself closer to Kiyoomi and looking up at him through batting eyelashes, "Samu and I always do it this time of year, I wanna share it with ya too."</p><p>"<em> Tsumu </em>," Kiyoomi sighs, an arm winding around his boyfriends middle and holding him even closer, he presses a kiss at the top of his head and speaks into his hair, "I don't know how to skate."</p><p>Atsumu almost takes one of Kiyoomi's teeth out in his haste to look up at him, eyes glittering in excitement, "It's fun!"</p><p>"I've watched Little Women, Atsumu," Kiyoomi says plainly, "I don't want to pull an Amy March in the middle of my last collegiate semester."</p><p>Atsumu punches his arm lightly, "I watched Little Women with ya, jerk. If anything, we'll pull an uninterrupted Jo and Teddy moment."</p><p>He makes kissy noises at Kiyoomi and gets a palm to the face in response. </p><p>"Hey!" Atsumu sputters, swatting away at the offending limb with a pout, "I'm being serious."</p><p>Kiyoomi feels the tug on his arm before his feet move to Atsumu's whims, a panicked noise escapes his lips</p><p>"Tsum, <em> love </em>," Kiyoomi plants his feet into the ground, donning a pleading look, "I really can't skate"</p><p>Atsumu's eyes are soft as he regards Kiyoomi, his hand guides the back of Kiyoomi's own up to his waiting lips, pressing a kiss over the bones of his knuckles</p><p>"I'll hold yer hand, I'll guide ya." Atsumu says, "I'll be yer little penguin thingy they let you borrow on skating rinks so you don't fall."</p><p>Kiyoomi can't help the chuckle that escapes his lips. Atsumu the penguin guide, what a thought.</p><p>"Whaddya say, handsome?" </p><p>Kiyoomi rolls his eyes, "You always get your way, don't you?"</p><p>Atsumu smiles wide, knowing he'd already won, teasing Kiyoomi even further and wiggling his eyebrows, making Kiyoomi's heart seize in his chest, "It's 'cos ya love me."</p><p>That he does.</p><p>"If i get injured, I'm breaking up with you." Kiyoomi deadpans.</p><p>Atsumu only gives him a small salute in return, expertly strapping the blades onto their shoes, before carefully waddling to the edge of the ice.</p><p>The first step Kiyoomi takes onto the ice makes it apparent that he's been living his whole life in a human tree's frame, the thin point of contact between the blades and the lake nowhere near the amount of support he's never known he needed.</p><p>Kiyoomi wobbles like a fawn fresh out of the womb. </p><p>Somehow, in front of him, Atsumu is steady on his feet, skating <em> backwards. </em></p><p>How can this boy be so good at everything?</p><p>It takes all of Kiyoomi's core and mental strength to not latch onto Atsumu in a koala hold, and Atsumu is aware of that, if the head-thrown-back laughter he keeps letting out is any indicator.</p><p>Kiyoomi can't even find it in himself to be mad.</p><p>The sound of Atsumu's giggles compliments the glittering scenery of the frozen lake below and beyond them. Ethereal, like multicolored lights passing through smoke, a sight to behold in its own right. </p><p>Eventually, Kiyoomi finds his footing, and is allowed the privilege to indulge in the scene unfolding before him.</p><p>Atsumu, gliding gracefully across a crystalline surface, the light of the setting sun reflecting prisms onto his skin and making him glow brighter than ever, painting him in colors only he can pull off. Through all this, he never lets go of Kiyoomi's hand —barely even takes his eyes off him— and makes him a part of his masterpiece.</p><p>Kiyoomi can't take his eyes off him either.</p><p>They skate across the translucent surface, and if Kiyoomi tries hard enough, he can imagine the multiple freshwater species keeping up with them right below, dancing around them in circles, drawn to the way they and spin and hold each other close —emanating love just by the fleeting glances, the tender touches, the careful pull of Atsumu guiding Kiyoomi and the slide of his blades over ice. </p><p>They do fall, right on their asses, only to laugh it off and stand and try once more.</p><p>It <em> is </em> fun, Kiyoomi decides. His own laughter effortlessly filtering out his lips as Atsumu presses a kiss on his cheek.</p><p>When the remnants of daylight threaten to fall into the horizon, Atsumu pulls Kiyoomi to his chest and sets a gentle rhythm, swaying them side to side for a songless waltz bathed in twilight. </p><p>Kiyoomi can see their breaths at every exhale —wrapped in Atsumu's arms like this, eyes closed and face inches apart— he leans their foreheads together and abandons the task of finding out what's running through the other boy's head. He has a hunch they're thinking of the same thing, anyway. </p><p>"I love you, Atsumu." Kiyoomi decides to say it first.</p><p>The cold, trying to find its way into open flaps of clothing to make a home in the space between skin and bones, finds no give in the warmth surrounding the two bodies pressed together in a loving embrace, Atsumu molding their lips together <em> because </em> they belonged.</p><p>A promise.</p><p>Here, in the same place where honeysuckle bloomed and butterflies flew past your ears, blows the frigid winter breeze that tinges your ears pink.</p><p>Here is also where the burning sun causes the lake to glisten during summers, inviting you to take your lover with you for a dip.</p><p>Here, as well, is where autumn leaves pile in orange mounds that dare you to jump in, hold his hands and run through, carefree.</p><p>This place is beautiful in any season, Atsumu has told him as much, anecdotes shared over morning coffee and in between sheets of sleepless nights. Whispered lazily after kisses that reminded him of the taste of popsicles he used to eat by the lake when he was a kid. </p><p>Kiyoomi has only seen it change twice, but he can't wait to share every other season —and all they bring— here, with Atsumu. </p><p>He wouldn't have it any other way. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this is the edited version of <a href="https://twitter.com/miyaquartz/status/1362839738390962178?s=19">this threadfic</a> i posted on my <a href="https://twitter.com/miyaquartz?s=09">twitter</a> :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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